Machines



attra ,sala

'aient (attira Laminaat No. eauawmz sapiente? 21, 1869.

.IM'PRovEMnNT'rN- LET-OPP AND TENSION-DEVICES PoR sPooLs or' BBAIDING- l MACHINES.

. The ,Schedule referred to in these Lettera Patent and making partof the same.

To all whom it may concer-1t:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM J. Hons'rMANN, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an' Improved Let-Ofi' Motion for the Spools of Braiding and Other Machines; and I do Yhereby declare the vfollowing to be a-frull, clear,'and exact description of the same. i

Myinvention relates to the mechanism employed for letting oli' the yarn from the spools of braidingmachines; and

My improvement consists of devices whereby the uniform tension on the y-arn is maintained, andthe ready removal and replacement of the spools or bobbins facilitated.

In order to enable others skilled in-.the art to make and apply my invention, I will nowproceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had to Y the accompanyingV drawing, which forms a part of this, speciiicat-ion, and in which- -Fignre 1` is 'a side' elevation of my improved Tetoir motion; l V v Figure 2, the same,-partly in section i Figure 3, Ya vertical section on the line 1 2, lig. 2; Figure .4, a section plan on the line 3 4, iig. 2; and Figure 5,l a side view'of one of the let-off motions in common use.

Similar letters refer to similarparts throughout the several views. l

` Cn reference to figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, A is a spool, such as is used in braiding and-plaiting-machines or rotary looms, and this Aspool is so fitted over a vertical spindle, B, as to turn freely thereon,'under the circumstanc'es referred to hereafter, the spindle projecting from a base, D, on the machine, from'which b'ase also projects a vertical guide, E, for the sliding weight F, .the latter andthe guide being so adapted to each' other, that the'slide can move 'up and down freely without turning.,

In the annular upper edge of the spoolA are formed ratchet-teeth a', between which engages a pawl, G, consisting of an arm hung loosely at one end to the upper end of the spindle B the opposite end projecting'into and fitting, so as to move freely in, a.slot, e,

in the guide E.

The thread or yarn x,from the spool, passes through a hole, f, in the guide E, thence downward. between the said guide and the 4sliding vweight F, round the lower. edge of the latter, and upward outside the same, and `through an eye, y, in lthe upper end of the guide E, to the point where the several yarns of the maf` chineare braided, p laited, or Woven together.

As seenin iig. 2, the spool is locked by the pawl G, and hejnce, as the threadlnr yarn is drawn off, the sliding weight F must be elevated while it imparts the desired tension to the thread. -As the sliding Weight approaches the limit of its upward movement, its projecting lip h comes in contact with the -under'side of the said pawl G, andraises the same until it is free from the ratchet-teeth of the spool, when, owing to -the tension of the yarn, the spool must turn and let again brought in Contact with the pawl, and another supply of yarn is Vdelivered'from the spool, the sliding weight, throughout these movements, continuing to impart the desired tension to the yarn.

In one forni of let-olf. deviceV heretofore used, and shown in fig.'5, the p aWl G is arranged to slide on the guide E, and is elevated through the medium of the sliding weight'F, by the yarn, as the latteris being drawn oil'. p

The moment the sliding weight is brought into contact with the pawl, thewe'ight of the 1at't'eI""S added to that of the slide, and consequently the tension of the yarn is increased. Morethan this, a lateral strain is imparted to the pawl by'A the yarn, through the4 medium of the spool; hence the socket is brought into such frictional contact with' the guide as toimpede its free upward movement. .'lhus the uniformity of the tension is interrupted omtime to time, partly by the increased' weight of the pawl, and partly by the friction -of the latter against the guide, andtheconsequent sudden increase of tension is the frequent cause of breaking the thread or of imperfect work.'

This evilis obviatedin `my improvement by hinging to the spindle a pawl, G, so light and delicate as to b'e readily raised, the end of the :pawlI being guided by the slot e, .so that its free movement cannot be impeded bythe bearing against it of the teeth of the ratchet, which would turn it` to one side, and wedge it in the slot in the spindle B.

Other 4forms of let-off devices have pawls hung at point above the spool, but in such a manner that the spool cannot be withdrawn without iirst breaking the thread or removing the pawl, thus requiring much laf bor and manipulation in changing or rearranging'the bobbins. i

I claim as m'y invention, and desire to secure by Let- 

